Welcome to my home in the blogosphere. I'll be exploring my favorite books, movies, and the writing world in general, along with discovering my new home, California. I'll also be sharing my old home, New Hampshire with you. Thanks for popping in and I hope you enjoy some romance under the moonlight.

I'm a member of EPIC, Writing.com, and Military Writers of America

A Gentleman and a Rogue

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Happy Halloween 2015: History of Jack-O-Lanterns! #halloween

Did you know the first jack-o-lanterns weren’t make out of
pumpkins?When I told my 9 year-old son,
Joe, he was surprised.Nope, they were
turnips.

The Irish used to make jack-o-lanterns out of turnips and
put them out on All Hallow’s Eve to scare away the evil spirits and
specifically, Stingy Jack.They didn’t
just hallow out turnips either. They also made jack-o-lanterns out of:rutabagas,
gourds, potatoes and beets. In the 1800’s Irish immigrants came to America and
discovered the pumpkin.Since then, the
squash has been a favorite to make jack-o-lanterns.

So is
Stingy Jack the guy that the jack-o-lantern is supposed to keep at bay?

Stingy
Jack is an old Irish legend.He was a
miserable man who drank too much and loved playing tricks on anyone who passed
his way – including his mom and even the Devil.

He
tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree then he placed crosses around the
trunk of the tree. Since the Devil couldn’t touch the crosses, he was stuck in
the tree.Stingy Jack struck a deal with
the Devil.The Devil wouldn’t take his
soul when Jack died.Then Jack removed
the crosses the Devil got out of the tree.

When
Jack finally died he met St. Peter at the gates of Heaven.St. Peter told Jack he lived a miserable life
on Earth and was very cruel.Jack couldn’t
get into Heaven.So he went to Hell and
asked the Devil if he could come in.The
Devil said no.

Can
you imagine?You can’t get into Heaven –
or Hell!

Jack
fussed with the Devil who took pity on him and gave him an ember from Hell to
help Jack light his way as he traveled through the Netherworld which had no
light. Jack stuck his ember in his turnip and even to this day, roams the Earth
since he doesn’t have a resting place using a “Jack-O-Lantern.”

Have a Great Halloween! Question for you: What are you
going to be for Halloween?

Joe the Minion and Andrew the Scream Guy for Halloween 2015. We made our trunk into a Graveyard.

2012 Romance of the Year

Journey of the Heart

AMAZON BEST SELLER! It's 1946 - can James help Rachel save her winery after the ravages of war?

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Quotes on writing:

"Transitions are critically important. I want the reader to turn the page without thinking she's turning the page. It must flow seamlessly." - Janet Evanovich

"You can stroke people with words."~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Words are... the most powerful drug used by mankind."~ Rudyard Kipling

Write drunk; edit sober.- Ernest Hemingway

"A word is deadWhen it is said, Some say.I say it just Begins to liveThat day."~ Emily Dickenson

"Never Regret. If it's good, it's

wonderful. If it's bad, it's

experience." - Victoria Holt

By Heart and Compass

Recommended Read: Danielle Thorne's released, July 2010

Recommended Read:

"Drew realizes the true meaning behind her need for touch, when a tiger shark shifter walks out of her dreams and takes her to his underwater world."

About Me

A member of Generation X, Stephanie was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. After graduating from Central High, she joined the U.S. Army. She spent 11 years in the military, 7 stationed in Germany. While in the military she earned her B.S. in Political Science from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA in 1995. She left the Army in 1997 and settled in California. She now works for LAPD as a 911 Dispatcher. The New England Patriots are still her favorite football team. Stephanie has been married for over 19 years. She has two boys, Andrew, 8, and Joseph, 4.